Rachel Berry's Broadway Video Diary
by gleeme33
Summary: Rachel's video diary she sends the New Directions as she plays different leading Broadway roles. Hints of Finchel. Each chapter is a different show, and a different character.
1. Next To Normal: Natalie Goodman

**I haven't updated to my stories for a while, let alone posted a new one. This is mainly going to be little one-shots – sort of drabble-y I guess. Rachel Berry's video diary/emails to Finn and the New Directions as she spends the summer (and maybe even years that go by) playing the parts on Broadway that I like and think she could do well as the most – the female ones anyway. So yeah, here ya' go. Thanks and enjoy.**

**Just watched N2N online for the 3****rd**** time today, so let's start with Natalie. The Original Broadway Cast members are the other actors/actresses that appear in the video diary; I'm putting Rachel in the place of the original Natalie, Jennifer Damiano (who I **_**love**_**!). This contains spoilers to the Broadway (now on tour) musical **_**Next To Normal**_**! **

**And for those of you who've seen Kyle Dean Massey's (replacement Gabe) N2N blog, yes, I did use the **_**Starbucks **_**bus part. :)**

**Original Broadway Cast of _Next To Normal_: **

**Alice Ripley (Diana), J. Robert "Bobby" Spencer (Dan), Jennifer Damiano (Natalie) – I'm putting Rachel in as her – Aaron Tveit (Gabe), Adam Chanler-Berat (Henry), and Louis Hobson (Dr. Madden/Dr. Fine)**

**Thanks and enjoy!**

_Chapter One_

_Next To Normal – Natalie Goodman_

"…_I don't need a life that's normal, that's way too far away. But something next to normal could be okay. Yes, something next to normal, that's the thing I'd like to try. Close enough to normal to get by. We'll get by. We'll get by._" - Natalie Goodman, (duet with Diana, during _Maybe_)

Dear New Directions, Mr. Schuster and Brad the piano guy,

I am very sorry that I will not be attending any of the glee club rehearsals this summer. I'm sure you'll do fine without me; there aren't any competitions over the summer anyway, so I won't miss _that _much. Attached to this email, you'll see a link. Click on it – it's a link to my video diary. I've made it just for you guys – that way I can see what's going on at glee rehearsal, and you can see what it's like backstage here at _Next To Normal_! Oh, and if you guys can get up here, you should come see the show! We're here at the Booth Theater in happy Manhattan! I miss you guys, and I really hope you write back soon.

Love, Rachel*

"Mr. Schue, click the link!" It was Kurt who yelled it, taking a glance at his stepbrother, then back to the Spanish teacher. "_Next To Normal _is such a beautiful show! Seriously, this is a golden opportunity!"

"Uh, Kurt," Quinn said. "I think we want to see _Rachel_…not the musical she's in…" Puck started laughing as she said this, and the blonde '_shhh_'ed him.

"Well of course!" Kurt added. "Her too!"

"Are you sure that you guys don't want to wait at least 'til after rehearsal?" Mr. Schue asked them. "I don't want to upset you guys…Rachel's gone for the _whole summer_…"

"That's why we want to see her now, Mr. Schue," Finn said.

"Well," Will plugged his laptop into the projector. "Okay…"

He clicked the link.

The logo for _Next To Normal _appeared – a purple background with the title of the show in the middle of it, presented as 'next to _normal_' with the word 'normal' in faded italics. At the top of the logo was what looked like a line from a piece of sheet music, but then in the middle, the lines twisted and turned, and the music notes got all bent out of shape. A woman's eyes were underneath that, just above the title. Finally, at the bottom of the purple logo, sat a modern, non-fancy house.

The music to _Just Another Day_, the opening song, started playing loudly, and the logo flashed and faded. Next there was a boy with light brown hair in a purple shirt and jeans, swinging around on a fire pole – he was moving his mouth as if he was singing, but all the New Directions heard was the opening anthem. That was just one of the couple of scenes that flashed before them – a husband and wife fighting, a boy and his mother dancing, and a girl – Rachel – playing a piano with a taller, dark-haired boy talking to her.

Then the reviews started flashing on the screen – all really, really good ones – from the _NY Times_, the _NY Post_, the _Washington Post_, and a whole lot more. A few even talked about just Rachel, saying how totally in-character she was, how perfectly raw her acting was, how beautifully she played her character – Natalie – making her so relatable, when yet she was so deep and far-off, and how beautiful her singing was. Most of the reviews were about just the show in general – one even said something along the lines of the show being a shoe-in for many Tony Awards.

The one that stayed on for the longest time was from the _NY Times_. It said:

"It's not a just feel-good musical, it's a feel _everything _musical!"

The scene changed again, but the same anthem kept playing. The New Directions saw Rachel banging on the piano more frantically; she was crying. A woman climbed on a table, singing at someone in black with a white coat – a doctor, maybe. The lighter-haired boy in the purple shirt was in back of Rachel as she belted a note, both of them hanging onto a fire pole – he taunted her like he was haunting her…like a ghost. Rachel was all dressed up as the scene changed in another flash – she was crying, and the dark-haired boy was consoling her, mouthing the words '…_perfect for you_' or something along those lines. They kissed passionately, and Finn looked away.

That boy in the purple shirt with the lighter-hair started singing, the opening music fading. He held onto two fire poles, singing at Rachel. He sang: "…_I'm alive, I'm right behind you. You say forget but I'll remind you_…" Rachel took a swig of something, like she was swallowing pills. The boy who was singing behind her smiled and kept singing: "_…You can try to hide but you know that I will find you…_" he swung on the left fire pole more, swinging from just circles to dipping down to the next level of the three-level set. "_'Cause you won't grieve me, you won't leave me behind…_" Now the woman in red was singing as the scene changed again. She sang: "…_I miss the mountains, I miss the highs and lows…_" she looked more then just _sad_. "…_I miss the mountains, I miss the pain!_" She took in a breath and belted: "_I miss the mountains! I miss the mountains! I miss my life!_" She threw little green pills in a bin, ran off-stage, and all the New Directions heard was the flush of a toilet.

The scene changed to just Rachel, and some of the New Directions cheered. Finn smiled. She sang: "_…Take a look at the invisible girl, here she is clear as the day! Please look closely and find her before she fades away!..._" The boy who was in the purple – now in blue – swung down from behind her and started haunting her again, singing with Rachel: "_…Superboy and the invisible girl, son of steal and daughter of air. He's a hero, a lover a prince, she's not there!_" Rachel looked at the darker-haired boy as he reached out for her, but she turned away. The lighter-haired boy smirked and they belted: "_…She's not there! She's not there! She's not there! She's not there!_" A man, most likely the woman in red's husband, packed things into a box, raging in anger, as the scene changed again. He sang: "_…Will it work – this 'cure'? There's no way to be sure! …_"

There was a flash of many scenes again, but quicker this time. The woman in red spinning around in a chair, Rachel looking at the dark-haired boy was they held hands, Rachel and the woman hugging, the lighter-haired boy and the husband hugging, and the family gathered around a dinner table, the woman presenting a birthday cake.

Then it flashed to just one scene again. Everyone was on different levels – the woman in a chair on the bottom level, the doctor next to her, her husband on the other side. Rachel nearly cried behind the piano on the second level, with the darker-haired boy on the other side. The lighter-haired boy was alone on the third level, hanging onto the railing. They all sang: "…_Catch me, I'm falling!…_", and the logo came up again, and for about a second, that one _NY Times _review flashed.

"That. Was…" Kurt's mouth was hanging open. "_Ahhhh-mazing_!"

"Wow," said Puck, almost chuckling. "Even _I'm _impressed!"

"Damn," was all Santana said.

"Guys, shut up!" Finn yelled. "This is – this is the good part."

Rachel appeared by herself now, as if she was making a home movie. Finn heard her mumbled something like 'is this even on?' It made him laugh, knowing how she couldn't work an electronic to save her life.

"Hey guys!" She waved at the camera. "It's me, here in Manhattan!" Sure enough, the busy City buzzed behind her.

"I'm outside the Booth Theater, my home away from home," she continued, showing the theater. It was covered in still-shots form the show, reviews, and the purple logo. There were even big pictures of the actors and actresses on different doors – the actor's or actress's name, under neither the picture, followed by what character they play, and reviewing about them. "Isn't it beautiful!" Rachel squeaked, holding the camera up to a sign that read: _Booth Theater Stage Door_.

"So," Rachel said. "I have to start getting ready for the show, so we should probably go in!" She opened the heavy-looking, gold door and Kurt made an '_eep!_' noise. After opening another door, Rachel came to a hall. She stopped and said 'hello' to the door lady, and signed her name on a chart, hanging up on a purple-decorated bulletin board.

"This is our call board," she explained. "I have to sign in and sign out when I come in and leave…well, we _all_ do. It's just so we can all keep track of each other!" She laughed. "Okay, I have to head up to my dressing room now and start getting into costume…" she led the camera up a long flight of white stairs until they came to a door – there was a sign on it; in purple, it read:

_Rachel Berry*_

_Natalie Goodman_

Rachel opened the door and then turned the camera, showing her dressing room. It was decorated just the way Finn knew she liked it. She pointed the camera at her mirror, setting it down on the long vanity.

"Okay guys, I have to get into costume now," Finn raised an eyebrow. "So, um, I'll talk to you later!"

There was a flash of black, and then Rachel was there again, dressed in the outfit that she was in most in the preview. It was a navy-blue dress/jumper that she wore with a white blouse under it, complete with black tights and black ballet shoes. Next to her sat the boy from the preview with the lighter hair, dressed in his purple tee shirt and jeans. The darker-haired boy walked in, dressed pretty much in something Finn would wear, topped off with backwards baseball cap.

"Hey again!" Rachel laughed. "I'm here with my co-stars! This is Aaron Tveit…" the boy with the lighter-brown hair waved and smiled. "He plays Gabe, my dead brother."

"_And_ the heartthrob of the musical," added Aaron with a wink. The girls of the New Directions melted in their seats.

"And this is Adam Chanler-Berat," Rachel motioned to the darker-haired boy, who smiled. "He plays Henry, my boyfriend – …"

"_What_?" Finn nearly stood up.

"_In the musical_, Finn!" Kurt claimed his new brother. "Natalie and Henry are the cute-couple of the musical. But that's _all_!"

"…So," Rachel continued, "I think I'm going to show these guys around the stage, you guys want to come?"

"I have to finish warming up," said Adam. "And if this guy –" he motioned to Aaron – "ever finishes getting ready, we'll join you."

"'Kay, later guys," Rachel said getting up.

"Later my sister!" We heard from behind. Rachel laughed and mumbled something about that Aaron guy.

Again there was that flash of black, and the New Directions were looking out at the audience.

"This is my view from up here!" Rachel called. She pointed the camera straight down, and there was one base-level bellow. People frantically set up props, trying to ready the stage of the upcoming show. When Rachel pointed the camera straight up, there was one level above.

"I spend I lot of time here, on the second level," she said. "Well, Adam and I do. This is pretty much the Natalie-and-Henry level."

She giggled. Finn gagged.

"Hey! Alice!" The woman from the preview was walking out onto the bottom level, stepping onto the stage. She was dressed in what must have been her first costume, and held a vanilla milkshake in her hand. She looked up at Rachel, motioned to the on-set staircase, and walked out of sight. "Alice will be right up," said Rachel, and within the next few seconds, she was. "Say hi to my glee club!" Rachel told her.

"Hi, Rachel's glee club!" Alice laughed.

"Anyway, this is Alice," Rachel introduced her. "She plays Diana – my mom in the show – and the main role!" No one had noticed Aaron now standing behind Rachel; he snuck up on her like he really was a ghost. He raised his eyebrows twice, and Rachel looked up at him, the three of them laughing.

"Have they met Bobby yet?" Alice asked.

"I have to find him first," Rachel said.

"Leave it to me!" Aaron jumped up, ran over to the on-set stairs and knocked on one of the staircases. "Sometimes me, Bobby, Adam and Louis hang up here. Bobby!" he shouted. "You up there?" The response wasn't words, but lyrics. A man's voice sang:

"_Who's crazy – the husband or wife? Who's crazy – to live their whole life – _" Everyone present joined in, singing:

"– _Remembering when she was twenty, and brilliant and bold!_" The husband from the preview ran down the black stairs, laughing with everyone else. The screen flashed black again.

"Hey," said Rachel, huddled next to Adam, Aaron, and the doctor from the preview, Louis. "We're going to _Starbucks_. We're not supposed to leave this close to half-hour, but we're going to anyway! Let's go!" There was a flash, and the four of them were j-walking. Out came a big bus. A boy screamed a very girl-like scream.

"And this is the part of the video where we all get hit by a bus!" Louis yelled much too calmly. Another flash, and they were leaving the _Starbucks_, coffees in hand.

"We seriously have to get back to the theater, _right now_!" Adam yelled. "Seriously. It's places in…" she checked the time and cringed. "Three minutes!" Yet another flash, and Rachel was alone in her dressing room, in a different Natalie outfit – a purple-and-pink top and dark pants.

"Okay guys," she panted, drinking water as she spoke. "It's intermission. Show's going great so far. I miss you guys, and I hope you can come see the show! Remember, _Next To Normal _at the Booth Theater!" There was a muffled intercom noise. "That's places!" Rachel huffed, still a bit out of breath. "Talk to you guys when the show's over! Bye!"

"The show went great," Rachel said, walking down a hall with her cast-mates after another flash. "We got standing-o's! The energy was just perfect in the theater tonight!" One by one, her cast-mates went out the big, gold door, and there was screaming, cheering and applause. "Want to come stage-dooring with me?" Rachel opened the door to show a crowd lined up outside, screaming for her and her cast-mates, playbills in hand. Rachel smiled big as she signed some playbills and took some big pictures with fans.

Most of the New Directions had never seen the girl so…_happy_.

But it didn't last – there was another flash.

"Hey guys," Rachel said, now in her own clothes, by herself in her dressing room. "That was a great show tonight, thanks for coming along with me," Rachel shook her head, laughing a little. "I really miss you guys," she said. "I hope you send me something back. I'll talk to you all again soon, okay?" She blew a kiss to the camera. "Love you!"

And it was over.

"Well then," Mr. Schuster said after a few minutes of silence. "Now back to glee practice. As for the show you guys are putting on for your parents, song wise, I think we should – "

"Um, Mr. Schue?" Finn raised his hand. "I think we have a better idea."

The New Directions preformed _Light_, the closing number to the musical _Next To Normal.._.

But it was as far from _normal _as it could possibly be.


	2. Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark: Mary Jane

**Hey, guys. So I saw **_**Spider-man **_**again, and I was really, really proud of it. Seriously, I saw an early preview and thought that the show was visually amazing, incredibly casted, but had a…sketchy plot line. Then I saw one later on, and thought that it had improved quite a bit. Then they re-vamped, and I saw an early preview of version 2.0, and went 'wow! Now that's more like it!' Then I saw it recently. I was totally, completely blown away. It was just…**_**wow**_**. Technologically and visually, it was **_**gorgeous**_**. The singing/acting was right on target, and everything was just a whole lot **_**clearer**_**. I've always rooted for the show, ever since the first preview I saw. I knew that it could grow into a really good, fun show, and it has. Another high point – despite everything in the press, the cast has always said that they will 'rise above' it. Like I said, I was really proud. **

**Now, for any of you who know me, you know that I love Jennifer Damiano, the actress who plays Mary Jane. I put Rachel in her shoes once again, to talk about how it feels to be slammed the way that this show has. Oh yeah, and this chapter is Finchel. :) Please note: Spoilers for **_**Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark**_** are in the story below! Also please note: I am only listing the main/principle roles of the Original Cast, otherwise I'd be listing all day! Also, in this story it's a week before _SMTOTD _is opened, but actually, it opened in June.**

**Original Broadway Cast of **_**Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark:**_

**Reeve Carney (Peter Parker/Spider-man), Jennifer Damiano (Mary Jane Watson) – I'm putting Rachel in as her – Patrick Page (Dr. Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin), and T.V. Carpio (Arachne)**

_Chapter Two_

_Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark – Mary Jane Watson_

It was senior year – that year that you're supposed to remember for the rest of your life. That year that you're supposed to relish in, and have the time of your life. Only, there was one thing that couldn't stop nagging at Finn Hudson's heartstrings. Well, one _girl_, rather. She was supposed to be back after the summer.

"Finn, this is the role of a lifetime!" She sounded so excited on the phone. "It's supposed to be like nothing Broadway's ever seen before!"

And what was he supposed to say? 'Rachel, I don't want you to go.'? 'I want you to stay here in Lima and not have your dreams of being a female lead come true.'? So he took a deep breath, said a silent prayer, and answered her.

"That's incredible, Rach, you should take the job."

It was just supposed to be half of senior year. Just half. She'd originate the role and then another girl would take her place. And then that'd be it, and she'd be back with him. She's finish up high school, and go back to Broadway then.

But then the reviews came.

One review called it: '_jaw-dropping-ly bad_'.

Another said: '…Spider-man_ is not only the most expensive musical to ever hit Broadway; it may also rank among the worst_.'

She was _devastated_.

She was so, so devastated, but she wouldn't let him see that. She didn't call him that night…that night she and Reeve, Patrick and T.V. huddled around Julie as she read the two-page _NY Times _review out loud. When Julie was done reading, Reeve walked over to their director and simply hugged her. The director whispered something to him that Rachel didn't quiet catch, and left the room. Then Reeve looked over all three of them, and spoke up, his steely, rock-star voice calm, cool and unwavering.

"Well?" He demanded the question. "Why are you all looking like that? Because of what – _this_?" He grabbed the papers from where Julie had set them down. "This means _nothing_!" He crumbled them up into a ball, and threw them down on the ground. "They don't mean anything to us!" He paused, and toned his voice down. Just speaking, not yelling, he said: "What matter to us…what _has _to matter to us…is this show. They said we were going to change Broadway history…and we _are going _to do just that!" Now it was Rachel's turn to speak up:

"He's right," she said. "I…I don't care how many previews it takes, or how much blood, sweat and tears it takes…" she paused, and said what came to her honestly. "I'd give my life for this show. You know why? Because it's _my _show. It's _mine_. _Ours_. Not the _NY Time_'s, or the _Washington Post_'s, or any late night comedian's! This is _our show_. And I _can't_…I _won't _let it be mocked and reticulated, and called '_the worst_' any more!"

There were tears, and hugging, and promises made that night. But there was one promise that they would always, always stick too. They would _Rise Above_.

Now presently, Kurt was out with Blaine, Carole and Burt were out to dinner, and Finn had the house all to himself. He could have thrown a wild party. He could have…well, honestly, he could have done whatever the hell he wanted. But he couldn't. This was the seventh time tonight that he had found himself sitting at the computer, checking his email. He hadn't heard from her in weeks.

_Nothing_.

Finn sighed. Was she really…_that _done with Lima that she would maybe be…forgetting about him? But…they loved each other. How could she…_forget_ him? He'd _never _forget her – not as long as he lived. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions. She was so busy…maybe she didn't have time for email. Yeah, that's better. She was too _busy_. Finn crashed onto the couch and flicked on the TV. He flashed past a couple of shows that he recognized but had no interest in watching, and more than a couple that he had no idea what they were. Eventually, he stopped on a nightly news program.

"Possibly one of America's most beloved superheroes, everyone knows the story of _Spider-man_," said the anchorwoman. "A nerdy teen, Peter Parker, gets bitten by a radio-active spider, and amazingly gets web-slinging powers, spider-scenes, a really cool costume, and a redheaded girlfriend. One of the most expensive musicals to ever hit the Broadway stage, the musical _Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark _will finally open next week at the Foxwoods Theater on Broadway, a day that some thought would never come, now that the 74-million-dollar musical has been re-vamped. Plagued with problems such as terrible reviews, and seriously injured performers, it looks like all of the cast's hard work is finally going to pay off…"

Rachel had told him about the re-vamping in one of her emails. It said:

_Hi Finn,_

_Guess what? We're re-vamping the show. That means that Bono and The Edge, our music-directors and composers, hired Phil, our 'creative consultant' to come in, and totally re-create the show. New music, new story, new script, new everything. Bono said to us before he brought in Phil that this was not going to be easy under any circumstances, and if anyone wanted to jump-ship, now would be the time. No one did. So, as you can see, I've got a lot of work ahead of me, so I probably won't get back to you for a while. But I miss you. I miss everyone. How're the New Directions? How's everyone doing? I'll check in as soon as I can. _

_Love, Rachel*_

On his television screen, Finn saw a flash, and then suddenly, he was watching one of Reeve Carney's – Rachel's co-star's – stunt-double fly through the air over an audience, dressed as Spider-man. Patrick Page's stunt-double for The Green Goblin did the same. The camera zoomed, and there was Rachel, in a redhead wig. She _did _look different with that thing on her head. She was tied to a prop-rope, dangling by her hands from what was supposed to be the Brooklyn Bridge. She screamed, and Spider-man landed on a platform above her. She fell to her doom as The Green Goblin cut the rope before Spidey could get to her, but Finn knew she was safe – they had her wired and harnessed and totally protected. The same went for all the Spider-men and villains. The only time that the unexpected happened was with Chris, one of the Spidey-stuntmen, whose cable snapped. He was in the hospital for a while, and rightfully so – he broke some ribs and vertebra, and got some nasty scares out of the whole thing, but Rachel says now he's perfectly fine and flying again every night. The stunt-double screamed:

"Mary Jane!" And dived down after Rachel, headfirst. In another moment, he re-appeared, with Rachel in his arms. Finn didn't like that too much. They flew over the audience, and the crowd cheered.

"…It's stunts like these that makes _Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark_ so incredible, and, as some would say, so unlucky…" the reporter's voice continued. The scene changed to Rachel and Reeve, as Peter Parker now, singing a pretty song that went: "_…I just can't walk away…_"

"…Slammed with some of the worst reviews in Broadway history, six delayed openings, and 183 previews in total, some think that it's time that the current came down on _Turn Off The Dark_, permanently…"

"That's ridiculous!" Finn yelled at the TV. It switched to a clip of the anchorwomen sitting down with Rachel, Reeve, and their other co-star, T.V.

"I don't think I've ever read such…horrific reviews," the anchorwomen-turned-interviewer told them, reading off some such as '…_shrill, insipid mess_.'

"It really seems like this has brought out the worst in some people," Reeve said. "Some of it, at this point, is just unnecessary."

"It's almost like..." Rachel started. "Like they think that we're not part of the Broadway community or something. Like they think we're something else entirely."

"And it's not like it's the first time that injury has happened on Broadway," T.V. added. "Not to downplay all that Chris has been through, but I used to perform in _RENT_, and I got a concussion while performing. The girl who came in after me to play my part, too, got a concussion. Yeah, there's no flying in _RENT_."

The scene changed again to some backstage footage of Rachel and Reeve walking together, not in costume, singing: "_…I'd give my life to be_…"

"The cast started to re-vamp after new creative consultant, Phillip McKinley was brought in to work on the project in March, after the departure of _Lion King _director, Julie Taymore. They were rehearsing new numbers during the day…" the scene switched to Reeve and Rachel, on stage and in costume, walking while singing just as they were backstage. They sang the next line of the same song: "_…anyone but me!_"

"...And performing them at night! As _Spider-man _1.0 came to an end, the cast seemed ready to move on…ready to start fresh…" It showed Rachel and Reeve bowing, together, as Mary Jane and Spider-man as some cast-mates behind them held up a sign that proclaimed: _We'll be back in May!_

"…Rehearsals were tough, usually a ten-am-to-midnight day of work for the principles and leads," continued the reporter. "But _Turn Off The Dark _2.0 was ready for previews, on time, after three-weeks of being off-theater all together. At the first preview, the cast got standing-o's. Backstage, they could not have been happier…"

Backstage, you could see the back of Rachel's head, running into Bono's arms and hugging him. He said something to her that we couldn't hear. Reeve and The Edge, next to them, high-fived.

"That was the first ever preview of this version!" Patrick Page, still dressed as The Green Goblin declared. "That was a real victory for all of us tonight!"

"We did it!" Rachel cried, still dressed as Mary Jane. Finn still had to get used to the wig. "We really, really did it!" T.V., still dress as Arachne, aka Spider-man's mentor, ran up to Rachel and hugged her.

"That was fantastic," said Reeve, the scene switching to him in his dressing room, still in the Spidey suit. "That was all we've ever been hoping for…and now the only way to go from here is up!"

"_Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark_ opens in one week," said the interviewer, sitting behind her desk in NYC, the clips now over. "Stay with us for your nightly news!"

Finn turned off the TV, however and walked back over to his laptop. _She couldn't have forgotten about me, _he told himself. _You just _saw _how totally busy she is every day! _He checked his email, and, by some twist of fate, he had a new message – from Rachel.

_Hey, Finn!_

_ The show opens in a week! Oh my God, the show opens in a week! I just…I'm so happy, Finn. We've all worked so hard and it's all finally happening. Anyway, they gave me an extra ticket for opening night and for the after party…so…want to come? Please get back to me soon, I miss you so much! _

_ Love, Rachel*_

Within the next second, Finn responded:

_Rach,_

_ I'm so happy for you. If anyone deserves a real opening night, it's you. I miss you so much, too, and you better believe I'll be there! I can't wait to see you perform, I can't wait to see all this work pay off for you. I'll see you in a week._

_ Finn _


	3. SM:TOTD: Mary Jane: Part 2

**I feel like I should have given you more of Rachel and less of Finn now as I read back chapter two. So here's part two. :) This takes place between chapter one and chapter two. Remember to review. Thanks and enjoy.**

_Chapter Two – Part Two_

_Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark – Mary Jane Watson _

Mary Jane: "_Don't you ever wonder, Peter? Don't you ever want to know what he's like – what the man under the mask is like? Don't you want to know? Who is he – what is he, on the inside, underneath the costume and down to his skin? Or is it – is it his _skin_? Is that it, then? Is Spider-man just, simply, _Spider-man_?_"

Peter: "_You ask too many questions, MJ_."

Mary Jane: "_Well I'll tell you one thing – whoever, or whatever he is – he is a hero. Spider-man. _Spider-man."

Rachel felt like an intruder. This wasn't her theater that she was walking into, but another one entirely. She should have been at the Booth Theater; a few avenues down, for her current show _Next To Normal_, but no. Instead, here she was, walking into the Foxwoods Theater.

No, she wasn't breaking in or stealing anything. Whenever a new show gets approved to come to Broadway, the casts of the current shows always bring over a sort of welcoming gift – usually a piece of laminated paper with their logo on it, signed by all the cast, a few t-shirts and a signed Playbill or two.

But when Rachel arrived after she was chosen to bring their present over to whatever show would be coming here – 'The youngest cast member should do it, it would mean the most', said Aaron, trying to get out of having to do the errand himself – she realized that no one was posted at the stage door. She hesitated, but walked in after knocking four times. The place was seemingly…empty.

"Hello?" She had called out, after walking all around, searching for a sign of life. She had somehow ended up now on the stage. "Is anyone here?"

_Flash_.

In a quick flash of the blindingly bright light that Rachel was all too familiar with, the stage lights turned on. She had to blink fast and cup her hand above her eyes to look up and try to see who had turned them on, but she still couldn't see all the way up into the electrical booth in the high raptures, above the third-level mezzanine.

"Hello?" She called again. But this time, there was an answer.

"Oh, hello there," Rachel pivoted around. Coming on from stage right was a woman who Rachel knew that she'd seen before, but just couldn't place her name.

"U-uh," she stuttered. Something about this woman made her feel like…like as if she was a citizen of England, or the UK, and in the presence of Kate Middleton. "Hi, I'm Rachel, I – "

"Oh, I know _you_!" The woman said, grinning, as if she had solved a puzzle. "You're Natalie from _Next To Normal_, right? What's your name again…Rebecca?"

"Rachel," she repeated. "And, um, I don't mean to be rude, but I can't seem to remember your name…"

"Oh, we haven't met," she said. "But I've had my eye on you for a while now, Rachel, and you're extremely talented."

"Th-thank you…" she didn't really know what to say, but it was killing her that she didn't know who this lady was. She knew she was _someone…_but _who_? Who? Who could – ?

_Oh_.

"M-Ms. Taymor?" Rachel stuttered again, titling her head a little to side. Could it be? "Ms. Julie Taymor?"

Julie smiled. "That's right," she said. "What've you got there?"

"Oh," Rachel had completely forgotten about the package. "This…this is from us. For you, I-I guess." She handed it to Julie, who looked it over, stepped back into the wings, and handed it to another figure. From the look Rachel got of him, he looked like…like Bono from U2. _No,_ Rachel thought. _That's impossible! _

It wasn't until that moment alone on the stage that Rachel had actually _looked _at the set she was standing in. _Wow_. She wasn't sure what show was to come to this stage, but it was nothing like Rachel had ever seen before, visually wise anyway. Pieces of the set and props were jetting out, and it looked…like something out of a comic book. On top of that, a long cable was strung just above the stage, like a double-zip line.

What could it _be_?

Some new Broadway-gone-3-D project? Something along the lines of _Cirque-Dis-O'le_?

_How…strange._ She thought. _How amazing. How incredible. How visionary…_

"Ms. Taymor?" Rachel piped up when Julie returned to her previous spot on the stage. "If you don't mind my asking…what kind of show _is _this?" The famed director smiled ear-to-ear for a moment before her bright look slowly dropped.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Rachel," she said, as if the words were cutting her. "But you mark my words," she paused, and looked…brighter again. Then she said: "It'll make Broadway history – it'll be like nothing Broadway's ever seen!"

_Wow_. Rachel had to catch her breath. _Nothing like Broadway's ever seen? _Surely this had to be the truth, coming from one of the most famed, most venerated Broadway directors out there now. Rachel didn't know what to think, but one thing was for sure. _This is going to be _huge_. _She was _sure_ of it.

"But Ms. Taymor…" Rachel pondered the question in her mind before asking it aloud. "Why…why would you have your eye on _me_?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, a boy ran on stage. He ran from stage left, the way that Rachel had entered. He looked older then her, but he also looked like…like he didn't belong anywhere near a Broadway stage. He looked more like he belonged as an act at a rock-n'-roll concert. Parts of his bristly, mocha-brown hair stuck up, but he still somehow looked totally put-together. He held some papers in his hands, and from what Rachel could see of them, they looked like song lyrics. She got a look at one of the papers, and thought that the lyrics were pretty. The lyrics said:

…_For every heart that bleeds_

_Will color your world red,_

_And the sorrow in the night_

_Will be the blue you cannot shed,_

_But your strength will be a vision _

_Beyond visibility – _

_And the gift you have before you_

_Will give you new eyes to see._

_For you can rise above,_

_Swing through the skies above – _

_And you shall rise above _

_Yourself…_

"Hi," said the boy. "I'm Reeve. Reeve Carney."

"I-I'm – "

"Rachel Berry."

"H-how did you know – ?" Rachel just blinked. She couldn't finish the question. Instead of answering her, Reeve turned to look at Julie.

"You're right," he said. "She's _her_."

Silence.

"Well now," said Julie, taking the sheet of lyrics that Rachel had read from Reeve. "I have to go do some work on this. Nice talking to you, Rachel." Rachel turned to leave as well, but she stopped when she felt a hand on her arm.

"Wait!" Reeve called to her. "D-don't go just yet…" She faced him, and the boy looked Rachel straight in the eyes. He held up a piece of sheet music, entitled _If The World Should End_. "Sing with me?"

"_Sing _with you?" Is _that _what this was about?

"Please," he whispered. "You don't even have to sing the whole song if you don't want to. _Please_." He handed her the sheet music.

"Well…why not?" The two of them sat down on the edge of the stage, and imagined that the now empty orchestra pit was filled with pianists, strings, and more. Above the lyrics, there were a few lines to start off the ballad.

"Peter?" Rachel read. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot," Reeve recited, looking at the page, then back to Rachel.

"Well, you live in Queens – I live on the east side – "

"Yup," he popped the '_p_'.

"Yet, when I call you to come over, it takes you not even five minutes to get to me!" Rachel smiled. "How is that possible?"

"Well, I take the A train, which runs express down to – "

"Fine," Rachel interrupted him with the next line. "Don't tell me your _secret_!"

"MJ, I – "

"If you tell me you have to go to work!"

"MJ, it's my job to take action pictures, and anything could be happening out there! An alien invasion, the end of the world – "

"C'mon," Rachel whispered the line. "Stay with me."

And they started to sing:

Rachel: "_Don't think about tomorrow,_

_ We've only got today._

_ There's nothing that I want from you – _

_ Not a word you have to say – _"

Reeve: "_You are all I need_

_ And all I can defend _

_ All I need to hold on to_ – "

Both: "_If the world should end._"

Rachel: "_In my imagination,_

_ I could not have made this up._

_ In a world stranger then fiction,_

_ Ours is no fictional love._

_ I can see the you_

_ Under your second skin – _"

Reeve: "_I can feel your heartbeat quicken,_

_ Quicken and then slow._

_ There's nothing else I need to know._"

Rachel: "_And there's nothing_

_ You need to pretend _

_ If the world should end_."

Both: "_And the sky tonight is luminous_

_ For some unknown reason_

_ And every doorway is hiding something._

_ And if this world should all_

_ Come crashing down – _

_ I wouldn't care_

_ At all!_"

Reeve: "_And if there's no tomorrow,_

_ I'll have today again._"

Rachel: "_There's no time for sorrow,_

_ When there's no such thing as time._"

Reeve: "_And if the darkness should descend,_"

Rachel: "_Don't need a savior or a friend,_"

Both: "_I can say I've really loved_

_ If the world should end._"

"The script here says…that I'm supposed to kiss you," Reeve said.

"You can kiss me if you want to."

"I want to."

Little did they know the journey that they would take, together. Little did they know the strength they'd have to muster, together. Little did they know that they'd be best friends since this moment.

It all started with a kiss.

**Lyrics: _If The World Should End _(Tony Award's Performance Version) from: _Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark_.**

**Review? :) **


	4. Legally Blonde: The Musical!: Elle Woods

**I know, I know – I wanted to do **_**Spring Awakening **_**next, but I've been re-watching LBB (Laura Bell Bundy) in **_**Legally Blonde **_**and re-realized how much she rocks. So here ya' go – **_**Legally Blonde: The Musical! **_**Ohmigod!**** :) And yes, I know that Annaleigh Ashford wasn't in a principle part (technically) as Margot, but I had to include her below because she's the new Maureen! :)****Review please? Thanks and enjoy.**

**Original Broadway of **_**Legally Blonde: The Musical! **_**– **

**Laura Bell Bundy (Elle Woods) – I'm putting Rachel in as her – , Christian Borle (Emmett Forest), Orfeh (Paulette), Michael Rupert (Callahan), Richard H. Blake (Warner Huntington III), Kate Shindle (Vivienne), and Annaleigh Ashford (Margot)**

_Chapter Three_

_Legally Blonde: The Musical! – Elle Woods_

"…_I've been smiling n' sweetin' – thoroughly beaten, losing my chance! Let's not chase him away – let's face and say 'hey punk let's dance!' This chip on my shoulder makes me smarter and bolder – no more whining, complaining – I am reclaiming my pride! Grab that book and let's do this, instead of doodling hearts all through this. Now there's a chip on my shoulder – let's see him knock it aside!_ …" – Elle Woods (during _Chip On My Shoulder_)

"So…what are you gonna do?" Rachel spun around to see her co-star behind her.

"Oh my God, Annaleigh…you scared me…"

"So…?" the young blonde shifted her weight. Rachel liked working with Annaleigh – she was the age that she had been when she started on Broadway in _Next To Normal_. She felt sort of like her mentor, in a way. What the girl was referring to was the letter in Rachel's hand…the letter from _Julliard_.

The _acceptance _letter from _Julliard_.

"I don't know," she said. The younger girl came over to where Rachel was sitting and hugged her from the back. They were silent for a minute, until the natural blonde said:

"C'mon Rach, your dye's coming out." Rachel took a chunk of her now dyed-blonde hair into her hand and looked at it. Oh yeah, the dye was running. "Can I help you re-dye your hair? _Please_?"

"Sure, Annie," Rachel said, getting up and walking down the hall until the two of them reached the girls' bathroom. The Palace Theater, where their show was located at, had a much better bathroom then the Booth and the Foxwoods combined…and right now Rachel was very, very thankful for that. As the un-natural blonde grabbed more hair-dye from shelf, the natural one was scrolling through a _BlackBerry _that didn't belong to her.

"You've got three emails from…some guy named Finn…" Annaleigh looked up from Rachel's _BlackBerry_, and giggled when she saw her co-star's head in the sink. "Rachel, who's _Finn_?" After a few minutes of important hair dyeing, she could answer the question as she wrapped her hair in a towel.

"He's…well…he's…" she sighed. Lyrics from the middle of one of the bigger group numbers, _What You Want_,popped into her head:

'…_How about love? Have you ever been in love? If you have, you'll know. Love never accepts a defeat. There is no challenge it can't meet. No place it cannot go. Because, oh – even a person who's smart, can listen to their heart. Listen and believe – believe in what love can achieve_…'

"It's complicated," is what she decided on saying.

"Well apparently he '_misses you like crazy_' and '_can't stop thinking about you_'!" The girl teased, reading from Rachel's emails. "Is he your boyfriend? Why haven't you mentioned him before? Do you love him? Are you gonna get married? How many kids are you gonna have? What – "

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rachel waved her arms. "First of all – _stop_ asking questions! Second – he's…kind of my boyfriend. I don't know. We've been together since before _Next To Normal_, and…it's just…he's probably going to end up going to college in Ohio, where I'm from…and I'll be here…"

"They say distance makes the heart grow fonder…" Annaleigh mumbled, and Rachel shot her a look. "Well they _do_!"

"I can't think about that right now, Annie. I have to go practice with Orfeh. I'll see you later, okay?"

"Okay," the girl said, but neglected to return the _BlackBerry_.

"Elle, do you know the number one reason behind all bad hair decisions?" Orfeh recited her line about ten minutes later, on set with Rachel sitting in the prop-salon chair. Elle had just begged Paulette to make her a 'serious brunette'. "_Love_!" The music started. "You're lost without your love – your heart is on the floor," she spoke. "I can help you – I've been there before. I need to relax, I just put on some tracks, from this CD I bought for the store…" the Irish music started blaring, signaling the start of Orfeh's song, _Ireland_.

"Isn't that relaxing?" Rachel nodded at her question. "It's called _Celtic Moons_!" Then the woman started to sing:

"_When I'm lonely or feeling dejected_

_I play this and it never fails_

_I pretend like I'm in Ireland – _

_With Enya and the whales._

_When my telephone gets disconnected,_

_Or I spend every night alone,_

_I pretend like I'm in Ireland – _

_Where the Irish bagpipes drone!_

_Smell the grass as a rainstorm is endin'_

_People smile while I stroll past their farms_

_With a redheaded sailor named Brendan – _

_And we dance without moving our arms._

_In a bar once I met this guy Dewey,_

_And he bought me like fourteen beers_

_And he told me that he was from Ireland,_

_So I lived with him ten years._

_If I squinted he looked like my sailor – _

_Through my boozy delusional fog – _

_But he dumped me for some slut named Kayla,_

_Took my trailer and took my dog!_

_In Ireland they know how to love you – _

_You embrace in the misty Irish breeze,_

_And if your Irish boy tires of you_

_You're allowed to shoot him in the knees!_

_Hey, you look like that poster for Ireland – _

_Long blonde hair and that sweet, sunny face,_

_Oh no wait, that's the poster for Sweden –_

_Oh screw it; I'll never see either place!_

_But a girl sweet as you has a future,_

_You have hope as each new day dawns._

_Girls like you always get to see Ireland – _

_Give my love to the leprechauns!_"

Meanwhile: "What are doing with Rachel's phone?" Kate asked, leaning over Annaleigh's shoulder.

"_Shhh_!" the blonde hissed. She scrolled through pictures and emails, and even some videos.

"Who's that guy?" Kate asked, getting a better view.

"Apparently that's _Finn Hudson_," said Christian, walking in with a _vis_-_vis _of the door.

"How would you know?"

"I overheard them on the phone the other day…it sounded…I don't know…not _angry _but…upset? Yeah, they both seemed really upset about something…" As Christian spoke, Annaleigh and Kate were busy watching a video saved on Rachel's phone. Finn and Rachel seemed…really in love…

_What was _complicated_ about that?_ The blonde girl thought.

_Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! _Annaleigh jumped as the _BlackBerry _in her hands started vibrating. _Call From: Finn_. She almost gasped. Should she answer it? Should she hit 'ignore'? What kind of message would _that _send by not hitting 'send'?

"Should I answer it?" Annaleigh asked Kate, the brunette just looking at her.

"I…I don't know!" Unsatisfied, the younger girl looked to Christian.

"Don't look at me! I'm a _dude_! I don't know these things!" Both Kate and Annaleigh rolled their eyes. Finally it dawned on the girl would she should do when she asked herself the always-relevant question: "what would Elle Woods do?".

"Hello?" Annaleigh said, the _BlackBerry _at her ear.

"Um…hi," said the voice on the other end, clearly surprised to hear Annaleigh's voice and not Rachel's. "Who…who is this?"

"Annaleigh Ashford," she said, stating her full name like Rachel does when she's on the phone with new people. "Is this…_Finn_?"

"Uh…y-yes," the deeper voice on the other end swallowed. "It is. So…_Annaleigh Ashford_," Finn said, saying the girl's full name like she had. He was sure Rachel had taught her that. "May I speak to _Rachel Berry _please?"

"Um, she's rehearsing right now…" Annaleigh said, with Kate glued to her side, trying to listen. "But can I take a message?"

"Just tell her to call me later, okay? Thanks. Goodb – "

" – _Wait_!" The blonde squeaked. "Wait."

"Elle," Orfeh, as Paulette, continued the scene. "If a girl like _you _can't win back her man, then there is _no hope _for the rest of us! You go out there, and you _fight _for him!"

"Thank you Paulette," Rachel recited. "That's exactly what I needed." Then she stormed out the salon door, and walked the path through the back of the set until she ended up in the wings. All the while, Orfeh was still on stage, belting out _Ireland (Reprise)_. She sang:

"_The Irish fear nothing and no one – _

_They keep fightin' 'til everyone's dead!_

_I'm not sure where this metaphor's goin',_

_I just felt like it had to be said!_

_Elle, there's a guy at that party who loves you – _

_Something most of us only dream of – _

_You go out there and you get some Ireland!_

_The country of whiskey – _

_And love!_"

"What you three doing?" Rachel asked when she saw what was going on backstage. "Why do you have my phone?"

"Rachel…" Christian started to say, but stopped himself. No one spoke, or moved for a few moments. Finally, Annaleigh handed Rachel her phone back, not saying a word. Still in silence, Rachel's three cast-mates left her there, with Finn on the line.

"I'm sorry about that…" she said into the phone.

"It's fine," he said. "Really. They're nice."

"They're great," she said, and there was some silence.

"Rach – "

" – I got accepted to Julliard."

"What?" He asked, and she repeated herself. "That's amazing!" But really, he couldn't have been more heartbroken. And she knew it, too. "Rachel, I – "

"Please, Finn…" she almost whispered. "Don't make this harder then it has to be."

"What are you – ?"

" – I love you, Finn," she had tears rolling down her cheeks. "But I have to love me more. I'm sorry. Goodbye."

And she curled up into a ball, and cried.

And cried.

And cried.

And cried.

"Hey," whispered Kate, rubbing the girl's shoulder. She and Annaleigh now back at her side.

"Rach, please stop crying," said the younger blonde. "Your makeup's gonna run like crazy!" She was trying to cheer her up, but to no avail.

"Why are you…?" Rachel started to say, but stopped herself. More tears followed.

"Us girls have to stick together," said the brunette, quoting from Elle Woods herself. "If we don't have each other's backs, then who will?"

"Katie," Rachel looked up at her, whipping her eyes quickly. "Did I do the right thing?" There was silence for a moment, and then finally, Kate said:

"I don't think I can answer that. I think only _you _can answer that."

And Rachel still didn't know the answer.

_Guess she got a chip on her shoulder – _

_Maybe some wise man told her,_

_With the chance we've been given – _

_We gotta be driven as hell!_

_She was something to see there – _

_I'm just happy I could be there_

_First big test and she aced it – _

_She's so close she can taste it_

_She got a chip on her shoulder_

_Guess you never can tell_

_With little Miss Woods comma Elle!_

**Two things: **

**First – To all the people affected by the tragedy that happened to the best city in the world ten years ago today, on September 11****th****, 2001, my thoughts and prayers go out to you always. Today we remember you.**

**Second – This is **_**NOT **_**the end of Finchel! Just wait, I promise you they will be reunited :) **

**Now…review? Please? :)**


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